Wine lovers, prepare for a revelation that might have you sprinting to Trader Joe’s! We’ve uncovered an astonishing value hidden on their shelves – a $14.99 bottle that rivals wines selling for more than twice that price.
This Trader Joe’s Platinum Reserve from Italy’s prestigious Nizza DOCG region isn’t your typical private label wine. It comes from Bersano Estate, a 123-year-old family-owned winery whose comparable bottles fetch $35 under their own label. What makes this find spectacular is its pedigree – from one of only 18 villages in the elite Nizza designation, produced from their finest Generala vineyard, and aged meticulously following strict DOCG standards (minimum 30 months with at least 12 in barrel).
The Barbera grape has a fascinating history in Italy’s Piedmont region. While Nebbiolo (of Barolo fame) gets the glory, Barbera produces wonderful everyday wines that, when grown in premier sites like Nizza and treated with respect, develop remarkable complexity. This 2019 vintage shows beautiful balance with dark, brooding fruit rather than bright juiciness – perfect for pairing with grilled steaks, roasts, or barbecue as summer approaches. The wine’s depth comes from proper aging and traditional winemaking methods (80% in large old barrels, 20% in newer oak).
How did such a premium bottle end up at Trader Joe’s for $20 less than retail? Likely a combination of challenging wine market conditions and TJ’s savvy buying team. Whatever the reason, this represents one of the best wine values we’ve encountered this year. Have you found similar hidden gems at Trader Joe’s? Share your discoveries and let us know what you think of this Italian bargain!
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or email us at [email protected]
Introducing the TJ's Platinum Reserve
Speaker 1
0:02
hey
,
welcome
.
It's
a
domain
dave
.
Cheapwinefindercom
.
Another
wine
review
today
for
a
wine
we
wrote
up
on
the
cheapwinefindercom
website
,
like
we
always
do
,
and
this
one
is
a
1499
trader
joe's
platinum
reserve
wine
.
That
needs
a
little
bit
of
explanation
because
it's
not
like
their
typical
platinum
reserve
or
gold
reserve
or
reserve
reserve
.
You
never
know
a
damn
thing
.
Oops
,
I
swore
you
never
know
anything
about
their
wines
.
It's
always
hush-hush
.
Sometimes
you
can
kind
of
figure
out
who
made
it
,
maybe
not
.
Speaker 1
0:39
This
one
is
from
the
Piedmont
in
Italy
.
It
is
from
Bersano
Estate
,
a
123-year-old
family-owned
winery
Bersano Estate and NISA DOC-G
Speaker 1
0:51
.
It's
changed
hands
a
few
times
but
it's
still
privately
owned
.
It's
from
the
NISA
.
N-i-z-z-a-d-o-c-g
DOC
is
a
governing
body
for
Italian
wine
.
G
is
guaranteed
.
They
guarantee
the
quality
.
They're
not
going
to
guarantee
you
like
it
.
And
this
is
a
Barbera
.
Speaker 1
1:16
Nisa
was
part
of
Barbera
d'Asti
,
which
is
part
of
the
region
,
and
in
2014
,
it
broke
off
into
its
own
kind
of
top-notch
area
.
There's
like
160
different
villages
for
the
Barbera
d'Asti
.
There's
only
18
villages
for
the
Niza
and
there's
more
stringent
requirements
.
You
know
how
many
.
What
the
yield
can
be
.
Um
needs
.
It
has
to
be
100
percent
fire
bearer
.
The
rest
of
it
has
90
.
They
can
blend
and
uh
and
aging
.
Um
has
to
be
at
least
,
uh
,
30
months
aging
,
with
at
least
12
months
in
barrel
.
Barbera's Place in Italian Wine
Speaker 1
2:01
And
uh
,
what
do
we
got
here
?
So
we
know
who
made
it
,
we
know
where
it
was
made
.
We
know
there's
a
town
nearby
.
It's
the
Generalisa
,
generalosa
,
one
of
those
names
,
I
don't
have
it
.
I
can
look
at
it
up
here
.
What
do
we
got
here
?
Generalisa
,
that's
their
vineyards
.
You
know
which
vineyard
it
came
from
,
and
this
is
one
of
the
.
This
is
a
Bersano's
elite
vineyard
in
Niza
.
It's
an
old
vineyard
.
It's
where
the
Barbera
comes
from
.
So
,
barbera
,
what's
up
with
Barbera
?
Because
you
don't
really
see
a
lot
of
it
in
value
price
wine
In
Piedmont
.
Nebbiolo
is
the
leading
grape
there
and
Nebbiolo
makes
Barolo
,
and
Barolo
is
the
wine
of
Italy
.
It
is
the
equivalent
of
a
Bordeaux
red
blend
,
a
Napa
Cabernet
Sauvignon
.
It's
the
top
notch
of
the
wine
and
Barbera
is
seen
as
something
a
little
bit
lesser
,
more
like
a
value
price
wine
which
is
right
up
our
alley
.
Except
,
this
is
the
Barbera
from
this
region
.
That's
got
all
the
bells
and
whistles
it's
got
.
You
know
what
the
vineyard
is
,
you
know
what
town
it's
near
um
,
you
know
who
made
it
?
Uh
,
like
,
a
long
time
used
to
be
a
og
wine
estate
.
Well
,
this
is
the
top
and
plus
it's
a
2019
.
This
is
2025
.
Speaker 1
3:41
It's
been
aged
for
a
while
,
which
might
have
been
one
of
the
reasons
that
Trader
Joe's
has
it
,
because
I
went
online
and
I
found
Bersano's
own
wine
and
that
one
sells
for
$35
under
their
own
label
.
But
this
is
the
same
thing
,
same
vineyard
.
I
mean
,
there's
the
same
type
of
thing
.
How
they
make
the
wine
they
use
.
80%
of
it
is
aged
in
these
big
old
barrels
.
20%
of
them
are
newer
,
modern
barrels
.
That's
how
they
make
their
other
wine
.
This
is
basically
Bersano's
Niso
Barbera
Preserva
,
just
with
Trader
Joe's
label
on
it
,
and
Trader
Joe's
The Barbera Scandal of the 1980s
Speaker 1
4:26
sells
for
$15
.
They've
sold
theirs
for
$35
.
This
is
$20
off
.
Now
they
said
that
wine
was
aged
for
a
minimum
of
12
months
in
barrel
and
12
months
afterwards
,
so
there's
a
few
months
they're
missing
.
So
I
think
that's
probably
about
18
months
in
barrel
.
Speaker 1
4:48
And
where
has
it
been
for
the
last
couple
years
?
Because
that
was
,
uh
,
should
have
been
ready
a
couple
years
ago
,
which
is
might
be
it
barbara
.
In
the
united
states
people
don't
know
what
it
is
and
one
of
the
reasons
is
back
in
the
1980s
,
some
unscrupulous
wine
dealers
had
a
Barbera
.
That
wasn't
right
.
It
didn't
have
enough
sweetness
and
they
cut
it
with
glycerin
I
think
that's
the
story
I've
heard
which
is
what
the
ingredient
is
of
antifreeze
and
you
put
too
much
in
.
That
ain't't
good
and
it
killed
about
eight
people
.
So
for
a
long
time
,
barbara
,
no
one
would
drink
it
because
it
killed
people
.
I
mean
,
it's
one
of
those
things
the
grape
itself
had
nothing
to
do
with
.
It
was
these
nitwits
who
put
poison
in
the
wine
,
but
it
kind
of
stunted
.
Speaker 1
5:36
This
is
.
This
was
1984
,
1985
,
and
barbera
still
hasn't
kicked
in
.
Now
in
Italy
it
is
a
cheap
wine
finder
wine
.
If
you
want
a
$10
,
$12
wine
,
barbera
is
right
where
you
want
it
to
be
.
I'm
going
to
take
a
sip
.
Tasting Notes and Food Pairings
Speaker 1
5:53
But
this
is
like
I
said
,
this
is
aged
and
they
went
all
out
making
the
wine
.
This
is
a
little
bit
more
dark
and
brooding
.
It's
got
good
red
fruit
.
It's
very
balanced
.
It's
not
bright
and
juicy
like
a
California
drink-it-now
wine
would
be
.
This
has
got
like
I
said
,
it's
got
more
age
to
it
.
So
if
you're
interested
in
like
an
aged
Italian
wine
,
this
might
be
just
the
one
you're
looking
for
.
I
mean
,
it's
just
at
20
bucks
off
for
a
top
notch
.
If
you're
looking
for
Italian
Piedmont
Barbera
from
Nyssa
.
You're
starting
at
the
top
with
this
one
.
Speaker 1
6:40
How
Trader
Joe's
got
it
it
,
I
don't
know
.
It
could
have
been
sitting
around
.
They
need
to
get
rid
of
it
.
And
they
got
a
deal
because
,
you
know
,
wine
wine's
been
off
like
10
,
telling
you
,
I
mean
,
uh
,
european
wines
off
even
more
.
Just
,
the
wine
industry
hasn't
been
having
a
lot
of
luck
lately
and
I
think
you
know
,
with
tariffs
,
everything
else
,
it
might
get
even
worse
.
So
there's
going
to's
going
to
be
some
fun
wines
coming
up
.
You
know
we're
taking
advantage
of
other
people's
misfortune
,
but
when
you
can
drink
their
misfortune
,
that's
a
little
better
than
just
you
know
gloating
.
So
there
you
go
.
Speaker 1
7:15
This
was
the
Trader
Joe's
Platinum
Reserve
Rosano
Nisa
Barbera
Reserva
2019
.
It
is
a
top-notch
Barbera
.
This
is
as
good
as
it
gets
in
that
region
and
it
tastes
pretty
good
.
It's
more
dark
and
brooding
than
bright
and
bubbly
,
but
it's
a
good-tasting
wine
.
It
sips
well
.
I
would
probably
pick
it
,
choose
it
to
have
a
meal
with
.
It's
getting
warmer
out
there
.
You
can
throw
a
couple
steaks
in
the
grill
.
You've
got
to
roast
,
you
get
barbecue
.
This
stuff
would
work
really
well
with
that
,
just
because
it's
got
a
little
more
depth
to
it
.
I
think
that's
where
it
goes
.
So
,
adios
,
keep
it
cheap
.
I'll
be
talking
to
you
in
a
couple
more
days
,
so
stay
safe
,
cooler
,
warm
,
whatever's
out
there
it's
.
